Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-09-03
TRICKS In POLITICS.
BY HAROLD L CLEVELAND.
PART ].
"a naas aHs


would not have mistaken Jake SlOcum
for anything else.
He was a politician in all that the
name implies. His fOx-shaped face,
acutely pointed nose and bloOdless lips;
his small, twInkling eye, and thin, gray
locks OF hair, all betrayed the calling o.
the man.
In dress he wore a costume Of modest
pattern but stylish cuE Jewelry he
eschewed save the gold band that gilt
tered on one finger.
Peryading the man was an air of
coarseness and gentility. He was so
open IN his manner of approach that
honest men felt the chill of suspicion
when in his company.
he was styled Honorable for his serv-
ices to the High Taxation party, of
which he was leader in Jaco County.
He had distinguished himself during
legislative sessions in the Third House,
and in the art Of silencing the voice of
the people he was an adept. With
these qualifications he possessed also
lack of sensibility as to right and
wrong that gave him a still stronger
claim to the title of politician.
Despite his advantages for arbltra-
ton through these experiences, he was
vulgar but strong. His power was that
of the middleman who acts as the agent
in unquestionabIe transactions between
mems cOnsciences and his Satanic
Majesty.
He was unloved, but feared most by
those who knew him best.
Yet as q politician he was hOnOred for
his unchanging partizanship. Fathers
might desert their children but Slocum
abandon High Taxation-never.
His party was his religion, his love,
his life. Mems opinions changed, new
principles of government were favored,
and free-holders were forsaking the old
doctrines. Little that mattered to
SlOcum- His watchwOrd was My
party first, then the people.
Dang it, sir, said Farmer jerks TO
him, ''when you get done with your in
fernal party there will be nothing left
for the people" SlOcum smiled, looked
curiously at the old man and re-
piled sentenhOusly, My party first. "
That was Slocum, politically; morally,
ugly rumOrs had been atOat of his
early days-Of misdeeds more serious
than boyish pranks
He had grown up with the prosperity
Of JacO County as a warped tree flour
ishes IN rich soil But hedged in as he
was by suspicion, it had come to pass
that he had assembled the rounds of the
political ladder from village constable
to city councilman, and thence mp until
he stood at the threshold of the Legis-
lature.
He toiled not, neither did he spin,
yet the finest rainment and the fat OF
the land were his. On the western
border there was not a man who re-
ceived more from men than he, nor who
gave back less.
1t was in this day of his indepen-
dence that SlOcum, asked by his party
to solve a political problem, put the
question to three of the members of
that party, If he was not a politician.
OF the trio, Luke Carfuth, Sheriff of
Jaco County, answered Yes"
Then" continued SlOcum. ''ef / say
Scotty goes free, he does"
mo, sir, said Carruth, springing to
his feet, "Shall / dishOnor myself to
save my party or yours? Put myself
in your power, Slocum, so that at your
back 1 may be branded as a scoundrel -?
For what? To keep me Sheriff of Jaco
County for the next two years. Ask
some other sacrifice than my honor.
Scotty shall not go free"
'Boh," was Slocum's contemptuous
rejoinder.
Jaco County, lying on the border line
of the Northwestern frontier. was in the
thrOes of a political contest. The high
taxation faction had been the dominant
party for years. But the times were
ripening for a change and the new party
known as the FreehOlders threatened
to carry the day.
The situation was critical for the
High Taxationists, and in their distress
they appealed to Jake Slocum to use
his power for their salvation
Given carte blanche, he now at once
summoned to a conference three of the
strongest men, and among them Sheriff
Oarruths who was a candidate for re-
election
Assembled. Sloeum, his plan matured,
thus unfolded to them:
4 amt trying to scare Yer, boys, but
eff something amt done pretty quick
our party is beaten. It's a bad year
fer us, and we've to hustle eff we get
the persimmons. The other fellers are
whoOping 'er up. and 81 Cade, down to
the Corners, to-day offered to bet his
best span Of mules that we didn't get q
single Office. Now, faint fer me to
talk. Action Is my style, and I've
hggered out lust where we stand and
what's going to help us Jamestown,
Cades Corners, over to the Ford, and at
Egan s. where We always had big vote,
there amt man fer ms. There's two
thousand good votes gone kerAummix
and us out in the cold Promises amt
any good; moneys no use any where.
told them that if they'd stand by us
this time we'd lower the taxes next
year. They just laughed and said as
how I'd said that ten years ago and it
hadn't come about, and how us fellers
IN Office were all robbers and living of
the people. Curse the derned PEOPLE
80 now boys. it's come to this: That
losing these. we've only got about seven
hundred votes left to win on and them
votes over in Jacoville. Them votes
are powerful shaky too, but eff we hold
EN- we can't be beat. How're we 90
ing to hold 'em? Set Red Scotty free :
Don't like that Carruth. You know
Scotty."
Carruth did know Scotty. He was
the leader Of the evil spirits in Jacoville
the head Of an organized band Of
thieves who ruled the little town with
lawless power. il was the heaven to
which they fed in all times of danger.
For years they had terrorized the
border but the summer preceding this
campaign Sheriff Carruth determined
20 root them ont, captured Scotty and
locked him up